CalFresh 4.0 benefits for different aged children - only receiving for my younger child?
I'm confused about the new CalFresh 4.0 benefits rollout this year. I received an additional benefit amount for my 6-year-old daughter (C) this month, but nothing extra came through for my 16-year-old (J). Are these new 4.0 benefits only for young kids? I thought it was supposed to be for all children in CalFresh households? My EBT balance shows the regular amount plus one child supplement. Did anyone else with multiple kids have this issue? Should I be calling the county to ask about missing benefits for my teenager?
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Carmen Diaz
The CalFresh 4.0 enhancement program is specifically targeting young children under 6 years old. It's part of California's initiative to address child food security for the most vulnerable age group. Your 16-year-old wouldn't qualify for the supplemental benefit under this program. The age cutoff is strictly under 6, so since your younger child is 6, I'm actually surprised you received it at all - they might have just processed it if the birthday was recent. The standard CalFresh benefit calculation still applies to your entire household including both children.
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Yuki Tanaka
•Thanks for explaining! C just turned 6 last month so maybe that's why we still got it? Will it stop next month then? And is there any similar program for older kids like my 16 yr old? Her appetite is actually much bigger than my 6 yr old!
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Andre Laurent
Im in the same boat got extra for my 4 year old but nothing for my 12 and 14 yr olds. its annoying cuz teenagers eat WAY more food!! who makes these rules lol
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Emily Jackson
•RIGHT?? My 15yo literally empties my fridge weekly. These little kids programs are nice but what about when they hit growth spurts? My grocery bill doubled when my son hit middle school.
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Liam Mendez
I was also confused about this! After calling the county (took FOREVER to get through btw), they confirmed it's only for kids under 6. The CalFresh 4.0 is specifically designed as an early childhood nutrition supplement. Your 6-year-old might have received it because the system hadn't updated her age yet, or because they provide benefits through the month when a child turns 6. The worker wasn't entirely clear on that part. But no, your 16-year-old definitely wouldn't qualify for this particular supplement.
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Sophia Nguyen
•If you're having trouble reaching someone at the county office, you might want to check out Claimyr. It helped me get through to a CalFresh worker without spending hours on hold. Their system calls and waits on hold for you, then calls you back when a worker answers. Saved me so much time when I had questions about my benefits changing. The video demo at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 shows how it works. You can find it at claimyr.com
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Jacob Smithson
The CalFresh 4.0 program is indeed specifically for children under 6 years old. It provides approximately $43 per month per eligible child. The program was implemented based on research showing that early childhood nutrition has particularly significant long-term health impacts. Regarding your 6-year-old still receiving benefits: if your child turned 6 within the current benefit month, they typically remain eligible until the end of that benefit month. The system will automatically adjust in the following month. For teenagers, there isn't currently a similar age-specific supplement, though the standard CalFresh calculation does account for household size and the increased food needs of adolescents through the regular benefit structure.
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Yuki Tanaka
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! That makes sense about C still getting it this month. I appreciate knowing the actual amount too ($43). Wish they had something similar for teens since J literally eats twice as much food as C does, but at least I understand the program now.
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Isabella Brown
they should do this 4 ALL KIDS imo... my teenagers eat me out of house and home and calfresh barely covers half our food costs anymore with these crazy grocery prices in 2025!!!!
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Andre Laurent
•For real!! I spend like $300 more on groceries than I did last year and my benefit only went up like $40. How does that math work?? 🤦♀️
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Carmen Diaz
I want to add some clarification: While CalFresh 4.0 benefits are limited to children under 6, there are other programs that might help with your teenager. Your 16-year-old may qualify for free school meals, and some districts have expanded after-school meal programs. Also, when calculating your regular CalFresh benefits, teenagers are actually factored in at a higher rate than younger children because of their increased nutritional needs. So while there's no special supplement labeled specifically for teens, their higher food requirements are considered in your total household benefit calculation.
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Yuki Tanaka
•That's good to know about the calculation! J does get free lunch at school which definitely helps. Are there any summer programs when school is out? That's when our food costs go way up.
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Emily Jackson
Wait I'm confused are these 4.0 benefits automatic? I have a 4 year old and didn't notice any extra on my EBT this month...should I be calling somebody? How much extra is it supposed to be?
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Jacob Smithson
•Yes, the CalFresh 4.0 supplement should be automatic - it's approximately $43 per eligible child under 6 per month. If you're not seeing it on your EBT, it's worth calling your county office. Sometimes there are implementation delays or system issues that need to be addressed. Make sure to check your balance detail rather than just the total, as it might not be clearly labeled as a separate line item.
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